Tree-protector.



Patented. Mar. 2o, loon.

(No Model.)

ArnNr HARRY II. BELKNAP, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES S. HIRST, OF SAME PLACE.

TREE-PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,659, dated March 20, 1900.

Application filed August 4, 1 899.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY H. BELKNAP, ay citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented Improvements in Tree-Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists of a certain improvement in or modification of the tree-protector for which I have previously obtained Letters Patent of the United States on the 4th day of October, 1896, the object of my present invention being to simplify and cheapen the construction of the protector1 and to facilitate the packing of the same for transportation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional view of a strip of material prepared in accordance with my invention for use as a tree-protector. Fig. 2 is a view showing the manner in which two of the strips may be placed face to face for storage o1' transportation. Fig. 3 is a sectional View illustratingr the manner in which the strip is used, and Fig. 4 is a similar View illustrating another manner of using the strip.

Tree-protectors of the character to which my invention relates may be described in general terms as consisting of a strip or band of paper or textile material having at each edge a mass of cotton-batting or other fibrous material and upon the outer side of the strip or banda coating or layer of sticky or glutinous material, and the main objections to such tree-protectors as heretofore made have been their expense, their bulk, and the difficulty of storing and transporting them after the sticky or glutinous material has been applied to the face of the strip. It is the aim of my invention to overcome these objections, and this I accomplish in the following manner: Upon one face of a strip l of paper or textile material of the proper width I lay a sheet 2 of cotton-batting or other available fibrous material of the same width, and I unite the two at points adjacent to each edge of the strip by means of rows of stitches 3. To the face of the strip l opposite that to which the cotton-batting is secured I then apply a coating of sticky or glutinous material, as shown at 4:, and then press together the coated faces of two strips, as shown in Fig. 2, so that they Serial No. 726,123. (No model.)

mutually protect each other from the access of air, and thus indefinitely retain their moist and glutinous condition. Furthermore, the glutinous surfaces being practically inaccessible do not interfere with the free handling of the strips and cannot accumulate a mass of foreign matter while in storage or during transportation.

As the strip or sheet of cottonbatting or other fibrous material is confined by the rows of stitches 3 close to each exposed edge, the handling of the strip will not cause disintegration of said fibrous material, as is likely to be the case if the mass of fibrous material has an nnconfined and loosely-floating portion.

When the tree-protector is to be used, the sheet 2 of fibrous material is severed on the central line Fig. l, and the adhering faces of the two strips l are then pulled apart, and each edge portion of the strip l is folded back upon itself, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to cause the cut halves of the fibrous sheet to bear upon the tree at points above and below the strip 1, the protector being secured to the tree by tac'king, tying, wiring, or in any other available manner, so as to present upper and lower masses of fibrous material and an intervening strip presenting a sticky or glutinous surface. l

Instead of folding the strip l in the manner shown in Fig. 3-that is to say, by turning down said strip l on the lines of stitches S-each of the fibrous sheets 2 may be folded back upon itself, as shown in Fig. 4, the strip l remaining unfolded and the folded masses of fibrous material being then interposed between the strip l. and the trunk of the tree.' This plan may be adopted when a broad area of sticky or glutinous surface is desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The within-described strip of material for a tree-protector, the same consisting of a strip or band of paper or textile material having upon one face a coating of glutinous material and upon the other face a sheet of cotton-batting or other fibrous material secured to the backing-strip by a row of stitches adjacent to each edge, there being no projection of said cotton-batti ng transversely beyond the coated face of the strip.

2. The within-described treeprotector consisting of a strip or band of paper or textile material having glutinons material applied toone face of the same and having at each edge a strip or band ofcotton-battin g or other fibrous material secured thereto by a row of stitches, one of said strips or bands being folded back upon itself so that the brous material will project upwardly and downwardly beyond the central band.

3. A tree-protector consisting of a central strip or band of paper or textile material,

having a coating of glutinous material upon its outer face, said strip or band having a strip or band of fibrous material secured to it at each edge by means of a row of stitches each edge portion of the said central strip or band being foldedrback upon itself so as to cause the fibrous strips to project upwardly and downwardly therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY l-I. BELKNAP.

Witnesses:

F. E. BEoHToLD,

J os. H. KLEIN. 

